Apparatus for feeding and opening bags and containers



Sept. 2,1941. v| J NOWAK` JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS @da LEON Now/mdk.

Sept. 2, 1941. 1 NQWAK1 JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FO FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS A Filed Dec. 30,1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 66 561 L ri 59M @c/EON J. Now/AK, JR. ME-

Sept. 2, 1941. L. .1. NowAK, JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Dec. 50, 1937 @M VLEON J. Nom/AK, JR. QL! gg/5.

Sept. 2, 1941. 1 ,.1. NowAK, JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDNG AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 50, 19375 Sheets-Shea?l 4 Sept 2, 1941- L. J. NowAK, JR A ,2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS vAND CONTAINERS Filed Deo. 30,1937 5 Sheets-She'et 5 @all/EON J. Now/M ,JR R @E m5;

Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE APPARATUSFOB FEEDINGAND OPENING BAGS AND. CONTAINERS Leon J. Nowak, Jr., Chicago, Ill.Application December so, 1937, serial No. 182,439

, 21 claims. l(ol. 226-49) A This invention relates to an apparatus foropening bags orcontainers and concerns itself primarily with spreadingfingers and a magazine .having relative movement with respect to thespreading ngers for automatically telescoping a bag on such ngers.

The invention further contemplates the use of bags having a notch ordepression inthe top wall thereof or having one side wall higher thanthe other whereby anv entrance lwill be provided 'for the ngers througha relative lateral movement of the fingers and magazine.

` It is an object of this invention to provide such an apparatus that isautomatic in its action for opening bags, sustaining the same while theyare being filled and moving the filled bags.

It is a further object of this, invention to provide proper controls forsuch a machine whereby the relative movement between the fingers andmagazine may be governed.

With these and other objects in view which will become more apparent asthe description proceeds, this invention ycomprises the novel structureand combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of thisinvention and in whichI similar reference numerals refer to similarfeatures in the different views:

Figure lis a rear elevational view of a bag opening `machine involvingthis invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the machine. f

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in, section and lookingat the top of the bag magazine taken substantially upon the line, III-111 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a bag as it is being opened orexpanded.

Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan view of a in its fully expandedcondition.

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view'of the head part of this machine.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken upon the lineVII-VII of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is an enlarged top plan view of a part of the base portion ofthe machine with the bag lmagazine removed.

Figure 9 is an enlarged top plan view of the bag magazine.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary 'sectional viewv taken upon theline X-X of Figure 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

bag

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the feedhopper.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view through the hopper with adjacentparts in elevation.

Figure 13 4is a view similar to Figure 12 but showing parts in differentpositions.

Figure 14 isa view similar to Figure 13,'but showing the parts indifferent positions.

In' referring to the drawings which illustrate the .chosen embodiment ofthis invention, it will be noted that the machine comprises a supportingbase I provided with a pair of 'upstanding standards 2. Adjacent the topportion of the standards there is secured thereon a feed hopper 3. Thehopper 3 is provided with a laterally extending bearing 3a (Fig. 6)having apertures for receiving the standards. The bearing 3a may berigidly secured to the standards in some suitable manner. f

Upon the bottom portion of the hopper adja-y cent the throat thereof aresecured four bifurcated bearings 5 and in each of these bearings thereis journaled a cylindrical member 6. A pendant finger 1 is secured toeach cylindrical member 6. .'Each cylindrical member 6 also has an arm 8extending in a lateral direction that carries a ball or spherical member9( Slidably mounted uponthe standards 2, there is a member I0 which isin the form of a bifurcated frame consisting of a bridging strip I I(Fig. 1) provided with a bearing I2 slidably mounted upon the standards2 and a pair of spaced forwardlv` extending arms I3.. It will be notedthat the balls 9 rest upon the arms I3.

The balls 9 are held against the arms I3 of the member I0 by means of atstrips I4 which` extend in parallel relation to the arms I3 insuperposed relation to the balls and these strips I4 are secured to thearms I3 by means of studs `I5 which may be welded or secured between thearms and the strips. The 'parts I3 and I4 are, however, suiiicientlyspaced apart to allow the balls 9 to freely slide therebetween. 'I'hemember I0 together with the strips I4 constitutes in effect an actuatorfor operating the fingers 'I. When the actuator is lowered the fingers'I converge to receive a bag and when the actuator is that amotorlismounted uponthebase I and In the wall 22, there is a sloping slot zeshown v in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in which a stub shaft 21 is adjustablymounted that supports a roller 28.

An elongated platform 29 rests upon the rollers 25 and 28. Upon' theleft hand end of the platform 29 there is secured a bearing 38 in whicha lcranll; pin 3l is journaled. This crank pin 3| ls connected to thelower end of a link 32 which is pivoted at its upper end on a pivot pin33 mounted in a bearing 34 on the rear end of the wall 22 which it willhe noted extends-upwardly at its rear end as indicated at 35 to providea post or standard for such a purpose. Thus the platform 29 is pivotallyanchored at its rear end to the base l. At the forward end of theplatform, there is a pendant pin 36 (Fig. 9) for 'a purpose that'willlater appear. An angle member 31 is secured to the bottom of theplatform rearward of the roller 25 for coactionwith said roller in apredetermined position as will later appear.

' The bag magazine 38 is supported upon the platform 29 as shown inFig. 1. This magazine may consist of a sheet metal plate bent to providea bottom 38a and parallel side walls 38h. A U- shaped member 39 iswelded or secured externally of the front end of the magazine so as toextend down the sides and across the bottom thereof. A plate 40 issecured to the bottom -of the U- shaped member and extends rearwardlyand provides a gap between it and the bottom of the magazine forreceiving the front end of the platform 29. This plate has a slot 4I(Fig. 9) in its free end for receiving the pendent pin 36 on theplatform. This construction will maintain the forward end of themagazine against shifting movements. The rear end of the magazine has adownwardly turned ange 42 through which screws 43 extend that areVthreaded into the bearing 30. Thus the magazine is firmly attached tothe platform 29.

Spaced a short distance from theforward end of the magazine are sidebraces 44 that are attached to the exterior surfaces of the side wallsof the magazine. Leaf springs 45 are attached to these braces and theseleaf springs extend through long slots 46 cut in the side walls' of themagazine. The leaf springs 45 extend to the forward end of the magazinewhere they are provided with inturned lips 45a for retaining the bags.Adjustable screws 41 which extend through. the sides of the U-shapedmember 39 abut the leaf springs 45 for adjusting the inward deflectionzine between the inturned lips 45a and the forward wall 49 of a movableabutment or carriage 50 that is adapted to be automatically advanced bya spring motor 5l, best shown in Figs. 9 and plates 50a are providedwith flanges 52 at their lower endsv which are welded to the ange 48a ofplate 49.

A shaft 53 is secured in the side walls 58a of the carriage and supportsthe spring motor 5I which consists of a coil or clock spring 54 securedat its inner end -to the shaft 5,3 at 55' and secured at its outer endto a drum ,55 surrounding the coil spring. The tendency ofthe spring 54is to unwind and rotate the drum 55.

A pair of spaced flexible straps 56 (Fig. 9) are secured at their rearend to the drum and wound -therearound and then extended along thebottom of the magazine to the front end thereof where they extendthrough slots 51 in a downwardly sloping extension 58 on the bottom of.the magazine. The forward ends of these straps are anchored to thebottom of the extended bottom 58 of the magazine by means of a strip 59and screws 60. l

It might be here mentioned that when the forward end of the magazine istilted upwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the slopingextension 58 will be in a substantially 'horizontal plane' and will bepressing kagainst the bottom of the `bag so as to maintain the samesubstantially horizontal. This extendedbottom 58 may also serve tosupport the bag while it is being Vfilled.

The tendency of the spring 54 is to rotate the drum 55 in a clockwisedirection and wind up the straps 56, and thuswise cause the carriage toadvance as the bags are removed from the magazine. The carriage isprovided with a handle 6I whereby it may be manually pulled rearwardlywhen it is desired to replenish the magazine with empty y In referringnow to Fig. 1, it will be noted that a rod 62 is secured at its upperend to one of the bearings l2 of the actuator. The lower end of this rodhas an arm 62a attached thereto as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Aroller 63 is journaled upon the end of the 'arm for engagement. by a cam64 secured to the shaft 20.

It will be evidentl that When the motor rotates shaft 20 in ananti-clockwise direction., the arm 23 will rotate in an anti-clockwisedirection and elevate or tilt the magazine upwardly. In the positionshown in Figs. 1, 3 and '1 the fingers 1 are in their convergingrelation and within the mouth of the foremost bag in the magazine asshown more clearly in Fig. 2. I'he bags 48 are formed with a depression48a (Fig. 2) in the top of one side thereof. By positioning the bags inthe magazine with the depression 48'a foremost.

it will be evident that as the `bags -in the magazine are graduallyadvanced the foremost side of 10. The carriage 50 is preferably formed'from which is an angle plate having a lower flange 49a riding upon thebase of the magazine. These side azine is elevated, the fingers 1 willbe in proper position within the mouth of the foremost bag. While thedepression 48a is shown as a notch, it is intended to include a bagstructure in which. one side wall is higher than the other.

As the magazine is elevated by the crankarm 23, the foremost bag will betelescoped over the ngers 1. When the bagv has been telescoped over thengers, the cam 64 will elevate the rod 62 and the actuator for expandingthe bag to open position. This expanding force will hold the bag on thengers while it is being filled.

The bag, however, may also rest upon the extended bottom 58 of themagazine when it is being filled as shown in Fig. 1. Y

- Substantially at the time that the bag has been expanded, the motorwill be stopped for a. predetermined period as will now be set forth.Upon one of the upper bars H of the actuator, there is secured at itslower end a leaf spring 65 .best

shown in Figs. 12 to 14. The upper end 'of this spring engages a triplever 66 having adownwardly hooked end 66a for confining the upper endof the spring'. The trip lever 66 is secured to one end of a shaft 61journaled in the hopper and extending beyond both sides thereof. Thetrip lever 66 is secured to the shaft upon one side of the hopper whilean arm 68 is `secured to the shaft upon the other side of the hopper.The arm 68 carries an adjustable counterweightl 69. A pin projectingfrom the bearing on the hopper forms a fulcrum for leaf spring 65 aswill later more fully appear.

It will be noted that the shaft 61 extends across the mouth of thehopper. A plate 1I within the hopper has one edge secured to the shaft61. While the plate 1l may be attached to the shaft in various ways, inthe present instance, a sheet metal sleeve 12 is secured upon the shaftwith its edges brought together as indicated at 13 for forming a fiangeto which the plate 1I is attached.

The plate 1I is fashioned in accordance with the interior contour of thehopper so that it can pass from the full line position shown in Fig. 12to the full line position shown inFig. 14.

Upon the end `of the shaft 61 adjacent the weight arm 68, there issecured a clamp 14 (Figs. 6 and 11) which carries a mercoid switch 15connectedby conductors 16 and 11 to one side of a supply circuit to themotor. l

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 12, the mercoid switchwillbe closed and the motor will be operating. When the actuator iselevated for expanding a bag, the spring 65 will flex or fulcrum againstthe pin 10 as shown in Fig. 13 and elevatelthe trip lever 66 imparting apartial rotation toshaft 61 which will be suf- ,ficient for opening themercoid switch and stopping the motor when the magazine is in theposition shown in dotted lines Fig. 1 in which position the bottom ofthe bag rests upon the extension plate 58.'

The bag may now be filled by pouring the material into the hopper 3. Asthe `material descends through the hopper, it will swing the plate 1lsubstantially to the position shown in Fig. 14, an operation which willdisengage'the trip lever 66 from the spring .65 as shown in Fig. 14.When the weight of the material passing through the hopper ceases to actupon plate 1 I, the counterweight 69 will come into action for restoringthe parts to the full line positions shown in Fig. 12. When the partsare thuswise restored, the hooked trip lever 66 will engage over the endof the leaf spring 65 and the motor will be set in operation forreturning the magazine to its lowered position. During Athis operation,the roller 25 on crank arm 23 will strike the angle 31 and shift themagazine rearwardly from under the bag which may then descend of its ownweight and drop upon thev base or fioor. Asthe magazine is lowered andbrought to its original position, its final movement will be in ahorizontal forward direction. This forward movement will cause themagazine to shift or slide the filled bag forward, in front of themagazine. This forward movement of the filled bag produced by themagazine may be utilized for feeding the filled bags away'from theapparatus to a conveying belt or the like. Thus it will be apparent thatthe means for feeding the empty bags to the ex'- panding fingers, isalso utilized to feed the bags in a direction away from the machine. l

It will be appreciated that a simple and novel 4mechanism has'beenprovided for opening and 'varied through a wide range without departingfrom the principles of this invention, and I, therefore,-do not purposelimiting th'e patent granted. hereon otherwise than necessitated by thescope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: v

l. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pivotedfingers converging substantially to a point, a bag magazine, means forshifting said magazine for telescoping a bag over said fingers andbringing their converged ends Asubstantially to the bag bottom, andmeans for pivotally moving and spreading said fingers for opening saidbag.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pivotallymounted fingers normally converging substantially to a point, a magazineadapted for containing bags, means for tilting .said magazine fortelescoping a bag upon said Afingers and'bringing the converged ends ofthe fingers 'to a position adjacent the bag bottom, and meansfor-swinging and spreading said fingers for forcibly opening said bagsubstantially throughout its length.

3. In an apparatus ofi'the class described, a stationary support, aplurality of fingers having bearings pivoted to said support,saidflngers having weighted arms extending laterally from said bearingsand effective for normally causing said fingersto converge, an actuatorhaving a connec- Y tion with saidarms and means for operating saidactuator for movng said arms for spreading. said fingers.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a stationary support, fingersadapted to extend into a bag, each of said fingers having a bearing atits uppermost end pivoted onsaid support, arms laterally extending -fromsaid bearings and having their outermost ends lying in l. a commonplane, an actuator connected to said arms, and means for operating saidactuator for swinging said arms and spreading said fingers.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pendant bagopening fingers, a magazine for confining containers, means including amo,- tor for elevating said magazine for telescoping a container uponsaid fingers, means for spreading said fingers for opening saidcontainer, and means for temporarily rendering said motor ineffectivewhen said fingers are spread apart.

6. In any apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pendant bagopening fingers, a magazine adapted for confining bags, means includinga motor for elevating said magazine for telescoping a bag on saidfingers, means actuated yby said motor for spreading said fingers, andmeans for shutting off said motor when said fingers are spread and a bagis being filled, s aid means acting to start said motor when said lbagis' substantially lled for lowering said magazine.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a

plurality of pendant bag opening ngers normal- 1y in convergingrelation, a magazine Y adapted for containingbags, means including amotor for a elevating said magazine for telescoping a bag on said ngers,means actuated by said motor for operating said fingers for expandingsaid bag and Y plurality of pendant bag opening fingers normally inconverging relation, a. magazine adapted for containing bags, meansincluding a. motor for causing relative movement between said magazineand fingers for telescoping a bag on said ngers, means actuated by saidmotor for spread--v ing said lingers when said bag is telescopedthereon, and means responsive to the 'actuation of said ngers forshutting off said motor while said bag is being filled, said magazinesupporting saidA bag while it is being lled. l Y

/9. A bag opening apparatus comprising bag opening fingers, a magazineadapted for containing bags, means for moving said magazine fortelescoping a 'bag over said ingers, said magazine including a memberfor supporting said bag while it is being iilled with material,

10. A bag opening apparatus comprising bag opening fingers normally inconverging relation, a' magazine for containing empty bags, means formoving said magazine for telescoping an empty bag over said ngers, meansfor spreading said fingers for opening said bag and means movable withsaid magazine for sustaining saldi-bag while it is being lled.

11. Ina bag opening apparatus, a plurality of pendant bagopeningiingers, a magazine forcontaining .bags and having an extendedinclined bottom' portion, means for elevating said magazine fortelescoping a bag over said fingers and bringing the inclined bottomportion to a substantially horizontal position, and means for spreadingsaid fingers for opening said Ibag, said bag moving upon the extendedportion of said bottom and being supported thereby while being filled.

12. In an apparatus for opening a bag having a notch in its upper edge,a plurality of rod-like lingers normally in converging relation andhav-,f

` ing spaced apart supports at one set of their corresponding ends, amagazine adapted for retainwhen the material ceases passing said 14. Ina lbag opening apparatus, a plurality of pendant bag opening fingersnormally in converging relation, a magazine adapted for containing emptybags, means for pivotally securing one end of said magazine forlongitudinal and upward pivotal movement, means including a motor forelevating said magazine for telescoping a bag upon said fingers, meansactuated by said motor for spreading said fingers for opening said bag,means for stopping said motor when said.

bag is expanded and-being lled, and means for causing said motor tostart when said bag is lled for lowering said magazine and moving thesame to its original position.

15. In a bag opening apparatus, pendant iingers, a magazine forcontaining empty bags, means for pivotally anchoring the rear end ofsaid magazine for arcuate swinging movement, means including a motor forelevating the forward part lof said magazine for telescoping a bag onsaid ngers, means actuated by said motor for spreading said fingers foropening said bag and temporarily stopping said motor while said bag isbeing lled, means for starting the motor for causing said magazine tomove away from said lled bag and allowing said filled bag `to drop inthe path of said magazine, said magazine upon its return movement movingsaid lled bag in the direction of its longitudinal axis.

16. In a bag opening apparatus, pendant iingers normally in convergingrelation, a magazine `adapted for containing empty bags, a swingablesupport pivotally connected to the rear end of said magazine, means forelevating said maga- Y zine for telescoping a bag on said fingers. meansing a. stack of empty 'bags with the notched porvtionforemost forreceiving the converging ends means for spreading said fingers.

' 13. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pendant bagopening fingers, a magazine adapted for containing a stack of empty'bags, means including a motor for elevating said magazine fortelescoping the foremost bag in said stack upon said ngers, meansactuated by said motor for spreading said fingers for opening said bag,a feed hopper above said bag, a'shaft vjournaled on. said hopper, amercoid switch carried by said shaft and connected toV said motor, meansfor rocking said shaft when said fingers are spread for tilting saidswitch for stopping said motor, a plate secured upon said shaft withfinsaid hopper and responsive to material passing through said hopper formaintaining said switch inoperative, and means connected to said shaftfor rocking said shaftl for closing said switch for spreading saidfingers for opening said bag, means for filling said bag and causing thesame to drop in the path of said magazine, said elevating meansreturning said magazine toa horizontal position and moving said filledbag.

17. In a bag apparatus, bag opening members, a magazine for containingempty bags, means for moving said magazine in a given path to and fromsaid bag opening members, and means releasing a lled bag for descentfrom said bag opening members independently of said magazine, saidmagazine having a movement in.

said given path for propelling a. lledbag after 1t has descended fromsaid bag opening meni- V bers.

18. In a bag opening apparatus, a plurality of pendant bag openingfingers, a magazine containing bags, means for alternately elevating andreturning said magazine, said magazine when being elevated telescoping abag over said iingers and moving the bag to a filling position, meansfor spreading the ngers for vopening said bag, a member for supportingthe bag during filling, and means for withdrawing said member fromunderneath said filled bag and allowing the lled bag to drop in the pathof said magazine, said magazine upon its return movement moving saidfilled bag in a lateral direction.

19. In an apparatus of the class described, a bag magazine, means forsuccessively elevating and returning the magazine to a normal position,movement of said magazine to its elevated position delivering a bag to alling position, and means operative at the elevated position of saidmagazine for interrupting its movement and rethe cessation o! ow ofmaterial into said bag for re-establishing movement of said magazine,whereby said magazine is returned to normal position.

20. In an apparatus of the class described for opening a collapsed baghaving a lateral entrance in its upper edge, a plurality of pivotedfingers converging substantially to a point and adapted to enter saidlateral entrance in the bag, a bag magazine, means for shifting saidmagazine for telescoping a bag over said fingers and bringing theirconverged ends substantially to the bag bottom, and means for pivotallymoving and spreading said iingers for opening said bag, the

movement of said fingers being such as to open\15 a bag in at least twodirections disposed at an angle to each other.

21. In an apparatus o! the class described, a'

said'bag thereon.

\ LEON J. NOWAK. JR.

